Alas Pilipinas girls' volleyball team wins historic bronze at Princess Cup

Alas Pilipinas' girls volleyball team secured a historic bronze medal after defeating Australia, 25-13, 25-21, 25-20, in the third-place match on Thursday at the 22nd Princess Cup Southeast Asian Under-18 Women's Volleyball Championship.

Kimberly Rubin and Harlyn Serneche led Alas Pilipinas to victory for the second time against Australia during this tournament, marking their best finish since the team's first appearance in 2016.

The young national team bounced back from a crucial loss to Indonesia on Wednesday with a strong performance, securing third place with a 3-2 win-loss record under rookie coach Taka Minowa.

In the decisive match, Alas Pilipinas demonstrated resilience and teamwork, starting with a 10-2 run in the first set and maintaining their lead throughout the game.

The bronze medal is a significant achievement for the team, surpassing their previous fourth-place finish in 2016 led by Princess Cup Best Libero Kath Arado.